A wave of evictions is underway across Uganda as the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), working with the Ministry of Water and Environment and security agencies, intensifies enforcement against wetland encroachment in key ecological zones.
Recent operations in Busabala and along the Lwizi River in western Uganda have seen residents and developers ordered to vacate wetlands designated as environmentally sensitive areas.
NEMA Executive Director Dr Barirega Akankwasa said the authority had exhausted all earlier interventions, including warnings and community engagement, before moving to enforcement.
“We have been patient, issuing warnings and engaging with communities for a considerable time,” Dr. Akankwasa said during an inspection in Busabala. “However, continued disregard for environmental laws has left us with no alternative but to take decisive action.”
In Buggu village, Kibiri Zone, Kajjansi Town Council in Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality, residents were observed dismantling their own structures as enforcement teams arrived, removing iron sheets and salvaging belongings in compliance with eviction orders.
Some affected residents said they were caught off guard by the enforcement, arguing that parts of the area were not originally classified as wetlands. Others linked the change to altered drainage patterns following the construction of the Entebbe Expressway, which they said contributed to waterlogging in previously dry areas.
Local leaders have appealed for more time to allow orderly relocation, saying the deadlines issued by NEMA are too short for affected families to resettle.
“We are asking for more time so that people are not thrown into sudden hardship,” one local leader said, warning of the social and economic impact of immediate displacement.
However, NEMA has maintained that those occupying wetlands were repeatedly warned and had prior knowledge of the ecological status of the land.
NEMA spokesperson William Lubuulwa said enforcement is based on documented violations and prior notices.
“Our records and site observations clearly indicate that these individuals knew they were in ecologically sensitive zones,” Lubuulwa said. “The warnings were issued over time, and the current measures are a last resort.”
He said the ongoing demolitions form part of a broader national campaign targeting wetland degradation across the country.
Dr. Akankwasa also issued a 21-day ultimatum for illegal structures in Busabala to be cleared, following reports of continued construction activity in the area. He urged the public to support enforcement efforts and report illegal developments.
NEMA has since extended warnings to other regions, including the Lwizi River basin in Mbarara, where residents have been advised to vacate ahead of planned enforcement operations.
The authority says wetlands play a critical role in water regulation, flood control, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation, warning that continued degradation poses long-term risks to environmental and public health.
Despite this, critics argue that enforcement should be accompanied by stronger resettlement planning and livelihood support for displaced communities, many of whom rely on wetlands for housing and small-scale agriculture due to limited access to land.
NEMA has acknowledged the socio-economic concerns but maintains that environmental protection remains a national priority, warning that further encroachment will face similar action in other parts of the country.
The authority says the current operations are part of a sustained nationwide effort to restore wetlands and prevent further degradation of Uganda’s critical ecosystems.
